The overnight ship ride from Sweden to Finland was fine. Some of us awoke to the rocking of the boat. We all decided that this was not even close to as bad as they said it might be so we were feeling very confident in our abilities to handle the motion. More on that will come on another day!!!
This is a Pentecostal church in Tampere and the venue for our worship experience #2.
After a two hour bus trip into Tampere, we had an amazing time of fellowship and worship with these wonderful people. Of course there is always a photo of the trumpet section because I am so proud of Phil and the things he has dedicated himself to for the glory of the kingdom of God. All of these men are the absolute best, most caring, considerate, gentlemen. They all amaze me but Phil is the cream of the crop!
This is what the Singing Men do. In the words of their songs (translated into the language of the audience) They speak the name of Jesus. They tell of His love and support through hard times. The share His saving power and the joy that will come in heaven when we are with Him for eternity. The message of Christ is so clearly given and so beautifully presented.
There is so much more that I could tell you. But there is one story that you absolutely must here. It is probably my favorite moment from the trip. It is so clear in my memory and in my heart that I have been anxious to tell all of you.
God used this lesson to bring to life a true story from the Bible that has been in my heart for a long time. Sometimes He is so gracious to give us real time examples of concepts we have learned and studied and maybe we even thought we understood. But God brings it to life for us. I am so thankful!
A part of this story was unfolding and no one was aware of how God was working. I get chills just talking about it.`There was a precious young lady who was not sure that she was going to be able to come to the concert. She hurried to get there and when she walked in a few minutes late, while the Singing Men were leading worship, she had to take a chair close to the front. She had heard Michael Gott when she was a 7 year old child. (save this little bit of info for later)
Look closely at the photo above and you will see Michael Gott seated by a lovely woman. She was to be our interpreter for the evening. She was a friend of the Gott family from years prior and was so excited to be there and to be a part of this wonderful evening. However, there was an underlying story that many of us were unaware of that would change the events over the next few minutes when Michael began to speak. The Singing Men went to take their break and Michael got up to present the message of Christ. This precious woman was seated on a stool and doing a marvelous job. Very early in Michael’s message she began to falter on a few words. They were not coming to her as easily as before. She started to look faint and a woman from the audience came and helped her off the stool and down to a seat. Unknown to us, this precious lady had injured herself earlier and was in a great deal of pain. She thought she could power through the pain but it was more than she could handle. But God was already prepared – as always.
Look at the photo of the young lady above. She is the one who came in late and had to sit close to the front. She is the one who had listened to Michael Gott when she was a 7 year old child in Lithuania. This young lady stepped up without hesitation when our interpreter had to step down. This young lady had always dreamed of being able to translate the message of Christ for Michael. She came so filled with the Spirit of God that we could all feel it. She followed every vocal inflection, every body language cue, every pause, and maybe even added a bit of her own flair. There was no doubt that she was in a “Such a Time as This” moment!
She was asked to be the interpreter for the following night as well. What do you think her answer was? “Yes! Of course!” Beautiful St. Michael’s Parish Church in Turku, Finland.
You may ask at times, “Does God still work in the lives of His people?” The answer is a resounding Yes! “Does God put people in certain places at certain times in order for His will to be accomplished?” Yes! “Is everything that happens in life just a coincidence?” No! “Does the verse in 2 Timothy 4:2 apply to us now? Yes! “Do we really have to be ready to share the message of Christ at any time – in season and out of season?” Absolutely Yes! “Do we really need to learn from Esther and watch for times when God asks for us to be used in certain circumstances for His glory?” Yes!
As I crawled into my little lower bunk on the ship I was in awe of what I had experienced this day. I remembered each moment vividly as I saw a beautiful young lady that made an extraordinary effort to be present to hear the word of God. I saw her willingness to serve when the opportunity arose – with no hesitation. I observed as she poured every bit of her heart out as she allowed her Creator/Savior to speak through her. I laid there and thanked God for the lesson He had brought so clearly into my soul. I am certain that many were touched and that God used it for mighty things.
Join me as we walk this journey of faith together. And when a “For Such a Time as This” moment comes, let’s be willing to eargerly answer the call without hesitation and make a difference for the kingdom of God. He is worthy!
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